His Own Way
by Abylin
Summary: After finding out about the prophecy at the end of fifth year Harry decides he needs to run away from the Order of the Phoenix before Dumbledore gets him killed. He'll still kill Voldemort but he's going to do it his own way.


HIS OWN WAY: Chapter One

Hermione Granger stood at the top of the astronomy tower, looking down at the Hogwarts lawns below where her best friend Harry Potter was taking his daily walk around the lake. Ever since the Department of Mysteries disaster last week, in which Harry's godfather Sirius Black, had died he seemed to have developed a deep aversion to being around anyone else. To avoid everyone, he walked around the lake, multiple times a day, claiming he wanted to go alone as he used the time to think and reflect. The one time Hermione had been able to get Harry to stay in one place for more than a minute, all she'd been able to get out of him was a very real...hatred for Professor Dumbledore. She didn't know how else to describe it. Hermione didn't know what Harry and the headmaster had discussed while the rest of them were in the hospital wing that terrible night but she did know that Professor Dumbledore had somehow managed to make Harry even more distrustful of everyone than he usually was and piss him off royally.

All in all Harry was living a very predictable life these days. The only thing Harry did each day, apart from spending hours walking around the lake, was lie on his bed in the dorms, writing obsessively. The one time Hermione and Ron had tried to get close enough to see what he was doing Harry had actually disillusioned the parchments. Ron was deeply offended, apparently thinking that Harry didn't trust them enough to tell them what was going on. Hermione didn't blame Harry. She suspected he was keeping a journal. She certainly hoped he was. Journaling was a very therapeutic way of getting your thoughts in order when times were tough. Standing at the top of the astronomy tower, watching her friend, Hermione seriously considered going back to Gryffindor Tower and checking Harry's possessions, to try and find the journal. She knew it was a massive invasion of privacy and that Harry would be furious if he found out but Hermione felt they needed to know what was going on in his head. Harry needed help but nobody could give it to him if they didn't know exactly what was wrong and Harry was such an introverted soul it wasn't as if he was going to open up voluntarily. To make matters worse term ended in a few more days and then Harry really would be alone, back with the awful Dursleys who would sooner harm Harry than help him. Yes, if Hermione wanted to help Harry, she needed to do it quickly.

Should she go and look for the journal, though? A big part of Hermione thought that it was for Harry's own good and that she should do it, consequences be dammed. Harry would never forgive her, though and Hermione wasn't sure she'd be able to cope if she lost Harry's friendship. Besides, she would be furious if anyone ever betrayed her like that. No, she eventually decided. She couldn't invade Harry's privacy like that. Harry had made it pretty clear that he wanted to be left alone and he already had so many people in his life that sought to control him, never taking his opinions into account. Hermione would not add her name to the already long list. Yet. For now she would respect Harry's wishes. All bets were off, though, if, whenever they met up in the summer, Harry wasn't showing significant signs of healing. Then, Hermione would do whatever it took to help her friend, even if the friend in question didn't agree with her methods.

Little did Hermione know, though that within just a few short days she would seriously regret not following her instincts and going to Harry immediately. Her poor decision might cause Voldemort to win the war.

A few days later...

Harry stood on the muggle side of the platform at Kings Cross Station, watching in disbelief as the Order of the Phoenix, led by Moody, Lupin and Mr Weasley, ganged up on the Dursleys. They all looked extremely enthusiastic about what they were doing. Even Harry's own so-called friends, Ron and Hermione, who had more of an idea than anyone about what went on behind the closed doors of Number Four Privet Drive, looked as though they were enjoying themselves. "What the hell do you think you people are doing?" he demanded coldly.

"Harry, language!" Mrs Weasley shrieked, scandalized.

"I'm afraid that I don't quite understand what you mean, Harry," Lupin said.

"The Dursleys," Harry, gestured to his relatives, said slowly, as though talking to a particularly stupid child. "Why on earth would you do something like this to them?"

"Well, Harry, we were under the impression that the muggles didn't treat you very well and wanted to make sure this summer goes a bit better for you," Mr Weasley said cheerfully.

"Of course they don't treat me very well," Harry spat disgustedly. "They don't like magic and try take that out on me, especially as Dumbledore never gave them a choice about taking me into their house. They see magic as a threat, something that ruins lives. Thank you so much for validating their opinion and making my summer even harder than it needed to be!"

"We were just trying to help, boy," Mad-Eye said.

"Well if that's your idea of helping I'd hate to see what happens to someone you lot are trying to hurt," Harry said disdainfully, knowing that he was going to pay dearly for this little confrontation. When they got back to Privet Drive, not for the first time, Uncle Vernon was going to make him wish he was dead. "Really, I have to say that I'm disappointed. Moody, as an aurour, Mr Weasley, as the freaking head of muggle relations, and Lupin, as a werewolf that faces prejudice and scorn every day, you were three people I'd never have picked as ones who enjoy mugglebaiting."

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed reproachfully. "How could you say something like that? That's not what they were doing! It's not!"

"Really?" Harry asked coldly. "What would you call this little display? Intimidation, definitely. Bullying, for sure. It's not much of a stretch from there to mugglebaiting. Would you tolerate a display like this against your parents, Hermione? Would you?"

"Well no," Hermione admitted. "But the Order really thought you didn't like the Dursleys very much."

"I don't," Harry said freely. "But if you make life difficult for them you can guarantee they'll make life difficult for me. And by the way, from what you said, if it's okay to attack people you don't like, does that mean I can pull out my wand and start hexing a good many people here?"

"Harry..." Lupin's voice faded off, unable to comprehend how their good intentions had led them to go so very badly wrong.

"You know what, I can't be bothered dealing with you anymore," Harry said, turning to the Dursleys. "Let's just go, okay? I can't stand the sight of them any more than you can, right now."

Nobody so much as bestowing another look at the Order, the Dursleys followed Harry absently towards the carpark, apparently not sure what to make of Harry's defense of them. It wasn't until they were in the car, driving through London, that Uncle Vernon found his tongue. "What the hell was that, boy?"

"Trust me, I've got no idea," Harry said. "Recently I've come to realize that none of that lot are very intelligent."

"Boy, that may be the first thing that's ever come out of your mouth I agree with," said Uncle Vernon.

"Well I'm about to make your day and say something else you'll like," Harry said, passing a slip of paper to Aunt Petunia. "If you'll drop me off at that address today, you'll never have to see me again."

Uncle Vernon pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to Harry with an expression of eager anticipation on his face. "Really?"

"What about your freak headmaster?" Aunt Petunia asked. "He said you had to stay with us until you turn 17."

"Who cares what he wants?" Harry shrugged. "If he doesn't know where I am it's not like he can force me back to your place. Plus, if you guys go on a summer holiday that'll make things even more difficult for him."

"Oh, can we mum?" Dudley asked, speaking for the first time. "We could take the train to France and go to Paris. Piers says there's great food there."

Harry rolled his eyes. Of course when the word holiday was mentioned all Dudley cared about was the food, not seeing the sights or spending time with his family. "So what do you say?"

"You've got yourself a deal, boy," Uncle Vernon said, peering at the address his wife held out to him. "This isn't even that far out of my way. Of course I'd drive across the entire country if it meant getting rid of you for good."

Harry rolled his eyes, having long since become desensitized to his so-called family's blatant disregard of him. "Yeah, yeah I love you too, uncle. Just make sure you leave on holiday as soon as possible, okay? It won't take long for the idiots back there to figure out I'm missing."

"Fine, boy," said Uncle Vernon. "You just make sure you keep your word that we'll never be saddled with you again. You'll wish you'd never been born if I lay eyes on you again after we drop you off."

"Whatever," Harry said, not bothering to try and explain that he already wished that he'd never been born. If there was no Harry, James, Lily and Sirius would all be still alive and happy, and somebody much more capable would he shouldered with the burden of killing Voldemort. What he also neglected to mention to the Dursleys was that while they would never see him again after today the Order of the Phoenix were definitely going to come looking for him. While Harry could evade the Order easily now, the Dursleys were unlikely to be able to do the same so they shouldn't be counting on a magic-free existence just yet. Uncle Vernon started the car again and about 15 minutes later pulled onto the street where Harry had arranged to meet his guide. "Here's fine, Uncle Vernon."

"Right then, boy," Uncle Vernon said, so keen to get rid of Harry that he even got out of the car and retrieved his nephew's trunk from the boot.

Dudley didn't even glance in his cousin's direction. He'd never liked Harry and, like his father, was thrilled to be getting rid of him. The only difference was, morbidly obese and already lost in thought about a holiday in France, he wasn't about to expend any effort to help Harry gather his belongings. Aunt Petunia, though looked at Harry oddly. "Is there something you'd like to say Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked, fully prepared to hex the woman if it looked like she was going to do something to jeopardize his plan.

"Take care, won't you?" Aunt Petunia said, not quite looking him in the eye. "Lily would be so proud of you."

Harry looked at his aunt oddly. He'd never even heard her say his mother's name before. "I will," he confirmed softly. "Goodbye Aunt Petunia."

"Goodbye, boy," she said through the car window.

Harry stood on the footpath and watched as his only remaining relatives drove out of his life forever. He felt absolutely no regret. He'd never loved, or even liked, the Dursleys and was happy that his lifer was now his own to live. He just wished that the price to get to this point hadn't been so high. Finally, as Uncle Vernon's car rounded the corner, out of sight, Harry dragged his stuff a bit further down the road. All he had to carry was his trunk and a backpack, as he'd let Hedwig out to fly earlier in the day. He knew she'd track him down eventually.

About 100 meters from where Harry was dropped off, as planned, a sandy haired, blue eyed man, wearing a pinstriped suit and strange snake-skin boots, was waiting. Harry smirked at him. "Fancy seeing you here."

The man sniffed. "No stranger than seeing you in this area of town, Harry Potter. If you are ready we should make a move."

Harry smiled, happy his plan was going smoothly so far. "Yeah," he said. "I'm ready Griphook." 


End file.
